love to quilt...

here is a sneak peek at the quilting on the rocketboy quilt....it all started with a little square in a square..
here is square number 2 up close.

i love to straight line quilt with my awesome walking foot!

another view -

i think i just finished debating how to finish the small top portion and then the larger bottom portion - overall the quilting has gone fairly fast - i think i started about 3 days ago, but my quilting spurts are short and limited. A sick child at home today helped me get in a good couple hours. hoping to finish over the holiday weekend!

the finale...

This is the final chapter on these placemats - they are finished and shipped off...a complete set of 5 times 2. I had fun making them and especially trying my hand at new quilting styles that I had been wanting to try. I think hands down my favorite is still straight line and the square within a square quilting method - both to do and look at.

Flower pattern

Square pattern (see the chalk lines?!)

More squares, or rather funky rectangles...

Simple, straight lines

I'm forcing myself to get down on the hard, tile floor and baste together the Rocketboy quilt after I finish this post. I want to quilt it, just dread the basting! I'm also working on starting a Christmas table runner that I hope to get done before the holiday!

Finishes...

I finished the fall table runner I was quilting for my mom last week, binding and all. I realized about 1/3 of the way through that I picked a rather 'over-zealous' quilting pattern as usual and it seemed to take forever to finish in my short spurts of free - time.
Up close you can see that I quilted a maple & oak leaf and then a tree pattern to match the shapes in the fabric.

I used a burnt orange color thread and a chocolate corduroy for the binding - Love Love Love the binding - I am going to do this more often - I really like the added texture it adds!

The backing may be my favorite part - I really like the pattern and I had to cut it to get it to fit the length so i added a little personal patchwork touch to it! I hope she likes it!

the entire back

I think you could easily reverse it and do both sides - i used a flannel remnant as the 'batting' so it is nice and then for the table - which i think gives it a more modern look and feel!

Placemat progress

I must say i'm a bit over sewing with this fabric....and i'm sure you are too! Hopefully this is the next to last post on the placemats! I have the final four quilted and waiting on binding. I do love how the quilting turned out though and because the placemats are 12"x18" it isn't a perfect square pattern..


I have consolidated my strips into this jar to keep them together and off the cutting / work table. I have added some solid strips from my scrap pile to give a little more diversity in the blocks. I'm not sure how many blocks i'm doing yet, but i have a feeling i may run out of this fabric stash - which really is the end-goal! I'm working on blocks 8-12 on these and have been doing them in group of 4 for no reason in particular...

One final strip to sew on the bottom of the rocketboy backing then on to the basting. Also piecing a backing for a table runner i'm quilting....hope to do today before the harvest festival...if i can get a certain little one down for a nap...happy sewing!

Rocketboy Update

My lovely quilt top all folded nice and neat with the binding fabric placed on top waiting for me to finish piecing the back (which i'm heading over to now)

A sneak peek at the top....

a close-up...

and the finale! i love this one and can't wait to quilt it - i think i know what i'm going to do...just need to pick out the thread color.....bold or subtle?

will work for fabric....

Guess what came in my mail today? A new stash addition of Anthology Fabrics High Society Bundle in Clay from Hawthorne Threads compliments of my mum! I have been wanting this bundle ever since it came out.....and lucky for me my mom needed a fall table runner quilted and bound...so we traded - what an awesome trade, right? The best part - she ordered this on Friday and I received it in the post today - wow! The 3 below are my favorites - if I had to pick favorites....

I already have plans for the fat quarters - I'm going to cut them into 4.5" squares to best utilize the size of the quarters and mix and match with some kona solids to put together a quilt front. Our living room is a mixture of taupes, chocolates and warm neutrals so it will make the perfect replacement for an old throw.

I can't wait to get started on these! I am feeling pretty good about finishing up some WIP's this week. The last 4 placemats are stacked neatly ready for the binding, the robot quilt front is finished waiting on the piecing of the back, and i finished 4 more strip blocks for a total of 8 and started on 4 more. Yeah! What are you working on this week?

be back soon...

I haven't been able to post lately because I just got back from a short, but much needed vacation! The first in over 7 years without our boys to be exact! I have been working extra before and after to catch up - so I'm hoping to be back at it next week....enjoy the pics!

sailing on the hobie - something we never have a chance to do without the kids - although it's fun with them too!

welcome aboard!!!

chillin on the island!

formal night! somehow i still fit in that 'perfect black dress' from college!

the cruise ship!

I took my machine in for annual service yesterday - hoping to have it back by tomorrow - I guess you get extra fast service in Florida before the 'birds' fly down! wowsers!